The reunion follows Dunham’s recent memoir, in which she made accusations concerning Driver about their relationship during the original production, saying he threw tantrums on set.
Dunham’s decision to revisit Girls comes nearly a decade after its conclusion, with the original characters now confronting middle age rather than the uncertainty of their twenties.
She said: “We always said we would only return to Girls if there was a specific story we were burning to tell.”
Dunham added: “I’ve missed these characters, but for a long time I couldn’t quite picture them in the present day. Then, right around my 40th birthday, they started talking to me in the shower. And, as you may remember, once this fivesome starts talking, it’s pretty hard to get them to stop… .”
The original series followed four young women navigating friendships, relationships and careers in New York City, establishing Dunham as one of television’s most revered creative voices.
Driver’s portrayal of Adam became one of its defining performances. Production on the new shows is scheduled to begin next year, with Dunham returning as creator, showrunner and star.
She noted: “It’s rare that you get the chance to return to something that changed your life with the gift of hindsight and a whole new level of gratitude and understanding.”
Amy Gravitt, HBO’s executive vice president and head of comedy programming, welcomed the opportunity to revisit the characters.
“We’re thrilled to have Lena turn her gaze from the tumult of one’s twenties to the milestone of turning 40,” Gravitt noted.